How To: Fresh Face

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A fresh face is always in style. Let your inner beauty shine by enhancing your already-beautiful features – not covering them up. Channel that glow-y radiance and opt for an au naturale, fresh face.

NEEDED:

◊ Your Makeup Bag

HOW TO:

PERFECT THE SKIN:

Wash face with your favorite gentle exfoliator. This will help the makeup to blend easily. Favorite: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant.

MOISTURIZE & EVEN OUT SKIN TONE:

Keep skin hydrated with a sheer moisturizer. Try one with light reflecting properties – for a healthy radiance. Favorite: Dr. Jart+ Renewalist Melting Cream

To even out skin tone, grab your favorite – Tinted Moisturizer, Foundation, BB Cream or Mineral Powder – and apply. Choosing the product that provides your favorite finish on the skin – matte, dewy, satin or natural – your choice. Favorite: Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint

Use a damp sponge to create a flawless finish. Favorite: Beauty Blender

CONCEAL FLAWS & HIGHLIGHT:

For visible breakouts and dark spots use a pigment-rich concealer. Dab, blend and build coverage in thin layers. Never use too much concealer, it will just accentuate problem areas. Favorite: Miracle Skin Transformer Treat & Conceal 

Concealing under-circles will instantly light-up the entire face. If you have very dark undereye circles, first apply a salmon-toned color corrector. Favorite: Giorgio Armani Master Corrector

With a luminizing pen dot product under the eye and blend downwards. A luminizing pen brings light and radiance to the skin. It immediately erases any signs of fatigue, and brightens the complexion. This product can then be used as a highlighter on the cheekbones, brow bones and cupids bow. Favorite: YSL Touche Éclat

BRONZE & BLUSH:

Warm-up the skin with a light dusting of your favorite bronzer. Place only where the sun would naturally hit the skin. Temples, cheekbones, a little on the nose and under the jawline for contour. Favorite: Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer

Choose your favorite cream blush. Cream blushes in warm peaches and pinks gives skin a natural, subtle flush. Place on the apples of the cheeks and blend. Favorite: Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Petal Pink

POWDER:

If your skin gets shiny, follow with an oil-absorbing powder. Use only in the T-Zone area. This step can be skipped for those with dry or normal skin. Favorite: Laura Mercier Universal Setting Powder

If you find that you’ve over-powdered, take a tiny bit of light moisturizer, rub it between your palms, and then lightly press your palms onto your cheeks. This will bring back a bit of life to the skin.

BROWS:

Defined arches frame the face, pulling your features into focus. Make sure the brows are groomed and tweezed. Brush and fill them in sparingly with a brow pencil. Favorite: Anastasia Brow Wiz

EYES:

Apply a cream eyeshadow one shade lighter than lid color to the eyelid. Set with a matching eyeshadow and apply this eyeshadow to the inner corner of the eyes. This color can be matte or shimmer – your choice. Favorites: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot & MAC Eyeshadow in Vanilla

Then apply a soft warm brown eyeshadow to the crease area to contour the eye. Using the same soft brown eyeshadow, apply along the lower lashes – blending to ensure no hard edges. This can also be done with your bronzer. Favorite: Urban Decay Single Eyeshadow in Naked

TIGHTLINE:

For extra definition, tightline the eyes with your favorite eyeliner, gel liner, or liquid liner. How-To Tightline Post: HERE.

To make eyes look brighter and wide-awake, apply a nude colored eyeliner to the bottom inner rim.  Favorite: Tarte emphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener

LASHES:

Defined lashes are essential, even for a no-makeup look, you can forfeit shadow and liner, but never mascara. Curl eye lashes and apply two coats of mascara to the top lashes. For an extra boost, use a flat eyeliner brush to grab a bit of mascara from the wand and apply to just the roots of the bottom lashes. Favorite: Fairy Drops Scandal Queen

LIPS:

To get a pretty “your lips but better” look – choose a lipstick, stain, balm or liner that matches your lips perfectly. Press the color into your lips with your fingertip rather than applying it directly from the bullet. Concentrate it in the center and blend out. Favorite: Fresh Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment

Tried & Tested: Dior Hydra Life BB Crème

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The BB Cream craze has officially arrived stateside. Prestige brands are now formulating their own versions of these “magical creams.”

To read more on the meaning and creation of the BB Cream, read my previous post, here.

I admit, I jumped on the BB Cream bandwagon a couple years ago. I starting with traditional Asian brands and have worked my way up to my current favorite, Dior.

The difference between traditional BB Creams and the BB Creams now available at your local counters, is color and consistency. The majority of the traditional brands offer a selection of only one or two shades, developed primarily for Asian skin tones. These shades are often very light and have greyish-undertones. Traditional BB Creams are thick in consistency and provide medium to full coverage as well as excellent sun protection, anti-aging benefits and skin-regenerating properties. The majority of the “new” BB Creams are no different than a tinted moisturizer with higher SPF. The coverage of these products can be very sheer, but most offer a better selection of shades.

Dior Hydra Life BB Crème has a thicker, full-coverage texture that is more in line with traditional BB Creams. Formulated with the Hydra Life skincare line, this cream is packed with moisturizing and age-defying benefits. The smooth velevety-texture has complexion-enhancing properties that produce a dewy, radiant glow. With SPF 30 PA+++ protection, this is a great product to reach for in the warmer months. The one caveat is, similar to traditional BB Creams, Dior Hydra Life BB Crème is available in one only shade. It is important to test this product before purchasing.

The BB Cream craze is confirmable, who wouldn’t want a single-step cream that will balance skin, correct the complexion and protect a youthful appearance?

Triple Threat: Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation

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Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation combines skin nourishing benefits, sun protection and perfect coverage, making it – The Triple Threat.

This luxurious foundation is a serious moisturizing treatment for the skin. The consistency is extremely emollient, balm-like. It feels nourishing and healing on the skin. The medium to full coverage foundation leaves skin looking fresh and dewy – healthy.

This product applies best using a foundation brush. I like to massage the product on the back of my hand to “activate” or warm-up the foundation. Once applied, skin tone is even, radiant and hydrated. Setting this foundation with powder is a must for combination to oily skin. Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation lasts all day and does not settle into fine lines and pores.

Over time, using this foundation will help to reduce visible signs of aging. Extra Repair Foundation is formulated with: Peptides to boost natural collagen levels, Carrot Extract to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles and both Shea and Muru Muru Butter to strengthen skin’s natural barrier and replenish moisture.

Finally ‘the triple threat’ would not be complete without sun protection. Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection in SPF 25 and Vitamin E to protect against free radicals.

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation is the answer to dull winter skin – cover/nourish/protect – The Triple Threat.

Smoke & Mirrors: MAC Cream Colour Base

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MAC Cream Colour Base Pearl

Subtle shimmer is flattering on any skin tone. Possibly the easiest way to cheat the look of healthy dewy skin is to add a bit of glow to the skin.

MAC Cream Colour Bases are easy to use and come in an array of beautiful colors. The texture is silky and smooth and apply with ease and grace. Pearl is my shade of choice when skin is looking a bit dull. This icy champagne color reflects light and creates a luminescent glow to the skin. Apply to cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupids bow to manufacture a dewy-looking complexion.

MAC Cream Colour Bases can also be used on eyes and lips. Apply as an eyeshadow base to intensify any color layered on top or use alone for a more natural look, just make sure to set with powder. First rule of applying makeup is alway apply liquid, gel or cream product before powder to set and keep makeup from slipping. 

Makeup is all about smoke and mirrors, find the areas you would like to hide or emphasize and fake it.

Drugstore Find: Palmer’s Skin Therapy Oil

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Palmers Skin Therapy Oil

Palmer’s Skin Therapy Oil is a multi-purpose moisturizer that improves the appearance of scars, uneven skin tone, stretch marks, aging, dry and damaged skin.

The oil formula is non-greasy and lightweight. The oil soaks into the skin immedietly and leaves the skin with a soft glow. Skin feels instantly hydrated and incrediably soft.

When I first tried this product, my initial thought was… average moisturizer/nothing special. After a weekend baking in the sun, I used this oil twice a day and noticed my skin was incredibly hydrated, radiant and dewy. Even a couple areas where I had failed applying sunscreen, healed almost instantly.

Palmer’s products use a Cocoa Butter Formula that smells reminiscent of sweet chocolate. The fragrance is a little potent but does not last on the skin.

This is a great summer moisturizer to replenish the skin from the sun’s harsh rays. Palmer’s Skin Therapy Oil is an inexpensive option for healthy skin.

Fresh Face: Chanel Vitalumière Aqua

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Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Chanel’s newest foundation, Vitalumière Aqua is a lighter version of the best-selling Vitalumière. The original formula is extremely moisturizing and fitting for a more mature skin.

The new formula in Vitalumière Aqua is water-based and feels extremely light and refreshing on the skin. The semi-matte dewy finish does not appear greasy or unnatural, but luminous and radiant. The coverage is light but build-able and still manages to perfect the skin. The foundation is long-wearing, 6-8 hours, and comes in 10 ready-to-match-any-skintone shades. The packaging is a small and compact plastic bottle which is a nice change from the usual unwieldy glass bottle.  A built-in shaker prevents the product from separating which will extend it’s shelf-life. 

Once again, Chanel has created an impeccable foundation, light and fresh, perfect for the warm months ahead.